Differential effects of pharmacologic agents on the reverse passive Arthus reaction in guinea pigs

Five different pharmacologic agents were examined for their effects upon edema, hemorrhage, and vascular infiltration by neutrophils in the reverse passive Arthus reaction (RPAR) in guinea pigs. Two agents, colchicine (3.0 mg/kg p.o.) and ibuprofen (100 mg/kg p.o.) significantly inhibited all three parameters of RPAR. Cobra venom factor (100 units/kg i.p.) inhibited edema and hemorrhage but it did not inhibit neutrophil infiltration. Aminophylline and sulfinpyrazone (100 mg/kg p.o.) inhibited only hemorrhage; they did not inhibit edema or neutrophil infiltration. The results from these studies with five chemically or biologically unrelated pharmacologic agents suggest that the RPAR in guinea pigs can be separated into its basic components (edema, hemorrhage, and neutrophilic infiltration) by selective inhibitors. Inhibition of edema and hemorrhage, or hemorrhage alone of the two-hour RPAR in guinea pigs is not dependent upon inhibition of neutrophilic infiltration.